The house of Industry : a new estate of the realm

CHAPTER IV THE ADVENT OF INDUSTRIAL CONTROL

EXIT THE HOUSE OF LORDS. ENTER THE HOUSE OF INDUSTRY

From the foregoing, certain facts, I think, come to the surface. They are not new facts; they are indeed known to all. But are they known in this connection? They may be summarised as follows :—

(rt) For many generations the English have either instinctively or by reason maintained a definite separation between politics and economics.

(2) Even if they had not, it would be necessary to-day to make the separation, since in the complexity of modern life it is impossible for one body of men to undertake at once both the functions of politics and economics.

(3) Although formerly the House of Lords had large political powers, and although under the last Parliament Act those powers have been curtailed, the real business of the Lords has been economic, formerly because they were, in fact, the economic leaders, later because they led and spoke for unorganised industry.

(4) With industry now completely organised, the Lords are no longer the industrial leaders, but they still possess large constitutional powers to protect industrial or capitalist interests.

T2